Riding a bike is an enjoyable way to get exercise and save gas money, but biking accidents can cause painful injuries. Falls from bicycles and e-bikes are common, and there are no Brownsville bicycle helmet laws requiring riders to wear protective headgear that can prevent accidents.
If you suffered serious injuries in a bicycle crash, our dedicated attorneys at Javier Villarreal Law Firm can help you. We will fight for your legal rights whether you hit a pothole or a commercial truck that crowded you off the road.
State law does not require bicycle riders of any age to wear helmets. Brownsville does not have a specific statute obligating cyclists to wear helmets, but strongly encourages them to do so, especially if they are under age 15.
There are other regulations that bicycle and e-bike riders must obey. By law, bicycles are vehicles, and cyclists can receive tickets for violating traffic rules. Bike riders must stop at all traffic lights and signs and use hand signals for stops and turns. When riding at night, they must have white lights visible at 500 feet ahead on their bikes and red lights or reflectors visible at 500 feet behind.
Head injuries are the number one cause of fatalities when cars hit bikes. Helmets protect you from striking your head on the pavement, debris, or other objects when you fall. In a high-speed crash, a helmet may save your life.
Helmet use can affect personal injury claims. The state follows a modified comparative negligence rule, which means you can receive compensation if you are up to 50 percent liable for your accident. Insurance companies and their attorneys may try to find ways to make you partially at fault for your injuries. If you were not wearing a helmet during the accident and doing so could have reduced its severity, an insurer could use this to decrease your compensation.
This has nothing to do with whether failing to wear a helmet is illegal. State law will not hold you criminally responsible if you were bicycling without a helmet in Brownsville when your crash occurred. If you are in this situation, our attorneys can advise you about how to proceed with your case.
If you sustained injuries in a bicycle accident, we can explain how the fact that there are no Brownsville bicycle helmet laws may affect your claim. Our team at Javier Villarreal Law Firm has experience in handling insurers’ demands for documentation and responding to their settlement offers. We will fight for your legal rights and strive to get you the compensation you deserve.
JV Law Firm works on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we settle or win your case. Call us today to schedule a free and confidential consultation.
